Key ring



L. ANDERSN ET ML KEY RNG Filed May 3, 1.940

Patented Jan. 7, 1941 'r orties KEY RING Co., Inc., Attleboro, Massachusetts Mass., a corporation of Application May 3, 194i), Serial No. 333,214

`6 Claims.

Thisinvention relates to a key ring, and it consists in the constructions, arrangements and combinations herein described and claimed.

It is an object of the invention to provide a 5 key ring of novel construction in which sharp corners are avoided, thus eliminating wear of the pockets of a garment when carried therein.

It is a further important object of the invention to provide a novel means for locking keys upon the ring, yet readily movable to a position to permit removal of a key or the application of additional keys thereto.

More particularly it is an object of the invention to provide a split key ring and a slide, the latter having a means cooperable With the slot of the ring to effect locking of the ring against movement, with consequent retention of keys upon the ring.

Additional objects, advantages and features of invention will be apparent from the following description and accompanying drawing, wherein Figurel is a side elevation of the key ring as secured to a conventional showing of key chain.

Figure 2 is an enlarged View of the ring, show- 5 ing the locking means in its operative position.

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional View thereof.

Figure 4 is a View similar to Figure 2, illustrating the locking means in its inoperative position.

Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical section thereof.

Figure 6 is an enlarged fragmentary elevation illustrating the slide and ring with the locking means removed.

Attention is iirst invited to Figure 1 of the drawing, wherein We have illustrated a key chain I of any suitable construction having at one end an attaching ring II for securement of the chain to a belt loop or the like, as well understood. The other end of the chain I2 terminates in a novel construction of link I3 within which a tubular slide I4 is engaged, as will now be described.

Reference is now made to Figures 2 and 3, for an understanding of the construction of the ring I5, the slide I4 and the link I3. The ring I5 as shown, is of annular form, and may be of any desired cross sectional contour, in the present instance being shown as substantially oval. The ring I is of split formation, the ends IB being aligned, but stopping short of one another, deiining a space II. The space Il is of a width only slightly greater than the greatest cross sectional area of the link I3, as Will be presently explained.

The slide I4 is of tubular arcuate formation (Cl. 'l0-459) and has a cross sectional shape of the ring I5. The slide I4 is slidably engaged upon the ring so that it may be freely moved therearound and preferably the slide is of a length approximately one-third the circumference of the key ring I5, 5 although this is not arbitrary, since the dimensions of the ring and slide will vary for different uses of the key ring.

As clearly shown in Figure 6, the slide I4 has formed in its outer wall a semi-circular transverse recess I3, the recess being positioned intermediate the ends of the slide. The slide includes a plate I5, formed integrally with the outer wall thereof, or separate as desired, the latter form being shown, in which event the plate will be soldered or otherwise secured to the slide. The plate I9 has a semi-circular recess 20 complemental to the recess I8, thus forming an annulus for reception of the link I3.

VThe link It is clearly shown in Figures 2, 3, and 5 and consists of a closed ring formed in the shape of the numeral 8 from a suitable length of wire, the wire having a tapering formation from a thick bight portion 2| toward a thin medial bight portion 22. The thick bight portion 2l is of a thickness but slightly lessI than the space Il so that when the link I3 is in the position shown in Figures 2 and 3, the bight will be readily receivable in the space I'I between the ends i6 of the key ring. In such position it Will be apparent that the slide I4 is locked or secured against sliding movement upon the key ring I5. When it is desired to release the slide I4 to expose the slot I'I for removal or replacement of keys on the ring I5, the link I3 is moved to a right angular relation with respect to the slide as indicated in Figure 5, the link being given a transverse movement, thus bringing the reduced medial portion 22 to a position Within the slot I'I. As may be seen in Figure 5, the portion 22 has a slight frictional engagement with the recessed portion E0 of the plate I9 to hold the link in proper position, yet the diameter of the portion 22` is such as to freely lie within the recess and the outer periphery of the key ring l5, as shown in Figure 4. Obviously, the slide may then be moved circumferentially of the ring I5 to expose the slots when the keys may be added to or removed from the ring.

In order that the slide I4 may be readily brought into proper position with respect to the slot I'l, the ring I5 is provided with a stop collar 23.

While we have shown and described a preferred construction, this is by Way of illustration only,

and we consider as our own all such modications in structure as fairly fall within the scope of the appended claims.

We claim:

1. A key ring comprising a ring having spaced ends, a tubular slide on the ring, a recess in a periphery of the slide, and a link carried by the slide and seated within the recess, said link having a thickness at one end to engage said ring between the spaced ends to prevent movement of the slide, another portion of the link having a thickness to permit free movement of the slide when said portion or closely adjacent part is moved in registration with the spaced ends of the ring.

2. A key ring comprising a ring having spaced aligned ends, a tubular slide on the ring, a recess in a periphery of the slide, said slide having a portion complemental to the recess dening an annulus, a link movably mounted within the annulus, said link having a thickness at one end freely, yet snugly engaged between the spaced ends of the ring to prevent movement of the slide, and another portion of the link having a thickness to permit free movement of the slide when said portion or closely adjacent part is moved in registry with the spaced ends of the rmg.

3. A key ring comprising a ring having spaced aligned ends, an arcuate tubular slide on the ring, a recess in the outer periphery of the slide, a plate on the slide, said plate having a recess complemental to the recess of the slide defining an annulus, a link movably mounted within the annulus, said link having a thickness at one end freely, yet snugly engaged between the spaced ends of the ring to prevent movement of the slide, and another portion of the link having a thickness to permit free movement of the slide when said portion or closely adjacent part is moved between the spaced' ends of the ring, and stop means on the ring for limiting sliding movement of the slide.

4. A key ring comprising a ring having spaced aligned ends, an arcuate tubular slide on the ring, a recess in the outer periphery of the slide, a plate on the slide, said plate having a recess complemental to the recess of the slide dening an annulus, a link movably mounted within the annulus, said link having a thickness at one end freely, yet snugly engaged between the spaced ends of the ring to prevent movement of the slide, said link having reach and a bight portion of reduced cross sectional diameter to permit free movement of the slide when said bight or adjacent reach portion is moved between the spaced ends of the ring, and stop means on the ring for limiting movement of the slide.

5. A key ring comprising a ring having spaced aligned ends, an arcuate tubular slide on the ring, a recess in the outer periphery oi' the slide, a plate on the slide, said plate having a recess complemental to the recess of the slide defining an annulus, a link movably mounted within the annulus, said link having a thickness at one end freely, yet snugly engaged between the spaced ends of the ring to prevent movement of the slide, said link having a tapering formation to dei-lne a bight portion of reduced cross sectional area, to permit free movement of the slide when said bight .or adjacent portion is moved in registration with the spaced ends of the ring, and stop means on the ring for limiting sliding movement of the slide.

6. A key ring comprising a ring having spaced aligned ends, an arcuate tubular slide on the ring, a recess in the outer periphery of the slide, a plate on the slide, said plate having a recess complemental to the recess of the slide defining an annulus, a link movably mounted within the annulus, said link having a numeral 8 formation, .one end of the link having a thickness freely, yet snugly engaged between the spaced ends of the ring to prevent movement of the slide and of tapering formation in the direction of the other end of the link having slight frictional engagement with the recess of the plate when moved thereinto to permit movement of the slide between the ends of the ring, and stop means on the ring for limiting sliding movement of the slide.

LOUIS A. ANDERSON. EDWARD L. ANDERSON. 

